Abstract
A morphometric analysis of the mitochondria in hepatocytes of the hepatobiliary diseases in childhood (biliary atresia, congenital dilatation of common bile duct, portal hypertention) are performed on wedge biopsy. The result obtained per unit volume of cytoplasm were as follows. 1) Volumetric density was 12.65±2.92% (Mean±1SD). 2) Average cut surface area of single mitochondria was 0.41±0.11μ^2. 3) Volumetric density of single mitochondria was 0.22±0.06%. 4) Numerical density was 405±133/1,000μ^3. 5) Surface density of outermembrane was 0.95±0.17μ^2/μ^3. 6) Surface density of outermembrane-to-volumetric density ratio was 7.78±1.04μ^2/μ^3. 7) Morphometric values had no statistical significance among the diseases. 8) In biliary atresia, morphometric values had no statistical significance before and after 60th day of age. 9) In the cases of scarce bile flow and prolonged hyperbilirubinemia after first portoenterostomy in biliary atresia, marked fibrosis were recognized under light microscopy and volumetric density of mitochondria increased and numerical density of mitochondria decreased. The results of the current study indicate that the function of the mitochondria itself in biliary atresia do not change after 60th day of age, but in the cases of prolonged hyperbilirubinemia after first portoenterostomy, fibrosis advance and the function of mitochondria are also disturbed. Therefore the procedure of first protoenterostomy is important for the prognosis in biliary atresia.
